About Our Life Sciences Group

For 40 years, the Fenwick & West Life Sciences Group has been partnering with innovators who, through their discoveries and developments, seek to fundamentally change the quality of life for millions of people around the globe. The individuals behind such breakthroughs have legal considerations that can be as unprecedented as their products and services. Fenwick attorneys have earned the position as trusted, strategic advisors supporting these organizations. The Life Sciences Group has the deep expertise necessary to effectively guide and protect the paradigm-shifting companies leading the industry.

The Fenwick & West Life Sciences Group is comprised of 50 attorneys, patent agents and scientific advisors whose particular strengths cover the legal needs of both emerging and established companies. Over 30 members of the group have hands-on research experience and advanced degrees, including 21 Ph.D.s from prestigious universities in the areas of immunology, chemistry, biology/CMB, genetics, electrical and mechanical engineering.

Recently, Fenwick’s Life Sciences Group launched its Life Sciences Legal Insights blog, providing insight and analysis on important legal issues affecting life sciences, mHealth, digital heath and healthcare IT.

Fenwick attorneys have deep ties to some of the most active life sciences investors, and we employ a systemized approach to introducing our clients to these investors based upon the company’s technology, stage of development and goals for growth.

Beyond delivering the high-quality legal services that every life sciences enterprise requires to flourish, Fenwick attorneys build lasting relationships with their clients by committing to act as partners in the business, helping to develop strategies and promoting communication, transparency and trust.

Why Life Sciences Companies Choose Fenwick

We Understand the Business and Science Behind Our ClientsMany of our practitioners have prior careers working in-house as researchers or executives, enabling them to predict and effectively respond to the nuances of the technical and legal issues that companies in this industry face.

We Are Proactive and Innovative– As Attorneys and Business PartnersAs trusted legal advisors, we take on the responsibility of trying to predict what our clients will likely face in their future, and we advise our clients accordingly. Our attorneys are active in the business community, serving on committees of the SEC and some of the nation’s top research institutions. Within the legal industry, Fenwick spear-headed the move towards offering clients alternative fee arrangements, and the firm earned significant recognition in the media for its flat fee agreement with Cisco Systems, which was an emerging concept at the time. We understand the financial constraints new and established businesses face, which is why we offer a menu of alternative fee arrangements as well as initial client meetings, at no charge, to learn about the client’s history, technology and services, establish team roles, determine communication preferences and confirm reporting and billing requirements. We continue with ongoing meetings, at no charge, to ensure we are current with the client’s business strategy and goals and that we continue to meet management’s needs and expectations. We are proactive in bringing business opportunities to our clients that will enhance their profiles, whether it be through institutional funding recommendations, media outreach or award nominations.

We Have a Stake in the Success of Life Sciences and Our Clients' Positions in this IndustryFenwick is humbled by the success its clients have had and the ways in which their technologies have impacted the world. As they have in different stages and in different times throughout history, science and technology are converging in a way that will forever change the way individuals manage their personal health, and Fenwick attorneys are poised to guide these cutting edge healthcare companies through the maze created by the complex legal issues they face. The firm’s expertise in the software, hardware, communications and Internet sectors combined with its experience in the healthcare, pharmaceuticals, medical devices and bioinformatics sectors equip its team members with the knowledge necessary to effectively advise these new-age life sciences companies. Many of our attorneys serve on the Boards of Directors of leading West Coast industry organizations, such as BayBio and the Washington Biotechnology and Biomedical Association. The Life Sciences Group members also teach courses on corporate and patent law at local universities to students on both legal and scientific paths. In addition, Fenwick offers and encourages its attorneys and staff to participate in training to advance their own scientific knowledge and understanding of trends and shifts in the industry.

The Fenwick & West Life Sciences Group members are a team, motivated by each other and the work that we are doing to help our cutting edge clients reach their fullest potential.